Former minister of foreign affairs of the Czech Republic H E Tomas Petricek
Doha: Former minister of foreign affairs of the Czech Republic H E Tomas Petricek hailed the position that the State of Qatar has occupied regionally and internationally thanks to its clear and appreciated efforts in many areas, stressing that it will be very important for his country to motivate companies and investors to take Qatar as a hub for their business in the Gulf region as a whole.
The visit of H H the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to the Czech Republic reflects the development in the relations between the two countries, the former minister told the Qatar News Agency (QNA), expecting that there will be a dynamic growth of economic cooperation between the two countries, even at the level of individuals. He noted that opportunities are available to establish stronger political relations between Doha and Prague, which is certainly a natural outcome of the bilateral relations.
Petricek said that work has been started on consolidating the relationship with the State of Qatar since 2018 and 2019, expressing his happiness that these efforts will be culminating well now and that this cooperation will be beneficial for both countries in the future, especially since Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world and the Czech Republic is one of the active industrial countries in Europe and has many suitable investment opportunities for Qatari businessmen.
Regarding the issues that will be discussed during H H the Amir’s visit to the Czech Republic, Petricek said that one of the main issues will be the economic cooperation between the two countries. In light of the current energy crisis, the possibility of establishing a cooperation between Qatar and the Czech Republic in the field of energy will certainly be at the top of priorities, he added.
Asked whether the meeting between the two leaders would address the issue of gas, the former minister believed that it will be one of the issues because the Czech Republic, as a landlocked country, will depend more on liquefied gas supplies, indicating: “the European Union has a capacity, or rather a gas re-conversion plant in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and we negotiate with our German and Polish partners about the possibility of entering into projects that would bring liquefied natural gas to Europe, and of course Qatar is at the forefront of the partners that we will seek to obtain LNG from.”
On his visit to Doha in 2019, the former Czech foreign minister said that his visit took place in different circumstances because it was before the COVID-19 crisis and the energy and economic crises that the world is currently witnessing; however in 2019, Prague and Doha believed that the two countries have many common interests, since the Czech Republic is a country with an industrial economy in addition to a thriving tourism sector and has many distinguished initiatives in the fields of technology and innovation that can attract Qatari investors and partners. The State of Qatar, meanwhile, has become a regional hub in many areas and it will be very important for the Czech Republic to motivate Czech companies and investors to take Qatar as a hub for their businesses in the Gulf region as a whole.
He noted that the two countries can achieve more at the level of bilateral exchange, as well as in the fields of research and innovation, because Qatar is an ambitious country and has plans in these areas, and the Czech Republic would like to be one of the pioneers of technology in Central Europe. He said that the development taking place in Qatar, which he noticed during his recent visit, indicates that the country has a very detailed strategy on how to develop its economy and how to become an economic center for the region as a whole, noting that it was interesting how Qatar is trying to attract many foreign investments in areas that the country itself invest in, such as the areas of research and technology.
The former minister Tomas Petricek said that it will be important for European and Czech companies to search for regional partners in light of the challenges facing the global economy. The State of Qatar is one of these partners for anyone who wants to establish a permanent trade relation in the Gulf region.
On the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and whether Europe will face obstacles in importing energy from Russia, the former Czech foreign minister told QNA that the European Union is now facing great pressures due to energy prices, noting that Russia used to supply Europe with 40% of its gas consumption, but the biggest challenge now for Europe is to replace these supplies and reduce dependence on other countries.
He also pointed out that the opportunity is now ripe for Qatar and its European partners to enhance their energy cooperation, especially since Qatar is one of the most important producers of LNG in the world and is an important partner for the EU, as the Union relies on it in many fields.
He reiterated that Qatar has an active role in the region and believed that diplomats in the Czech Republic should discuss with diplomats in Qatar the establishment of regular consultations between the two countries, especially in light of the dynamic and effective work pursued by Doha towards many files, and its efforts to be part of those international endeavors that include the establishment of stability in the European neighboring countries.
In conclusion of his interview with QNA, HE former minister of foreign affairs of the Czech Republic Tomas Petricek said that he is looking forward to watching the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, affirming that it will be at a very high level of organization, especially since he witnessed great preparations during his visit to Qatar in 2019. He expected the tournament to be successful and exceptional.
